Who is Sophie Steinlein?
Mum Steffie was a successful sailor, father Markus Steinlein was one of the dominant raceboard cuppers in the national surf league from the mid-80s and in the 90s, and later continued his run of success with his star boat. Siblings Theresa, Franziska and Valentina also sail and surf successfully in the five-girl household. No wonder, as the family home is located directly on the Bavarian Wörthsee. Here, the desire for water was born in the cradle.
What came first for you, sailing or windsurfing?
Like many kids, I started sailing on the Opti, but at the same time I took part in a surfing course at the Hotel Pier on Lake Garda. However, I then sailed in many Opti regattas and windsurfing was always on the side.
Your regatta career went uphill over the years.
Together with my twin sister Theresa, I have already travelled well internationally in the Opti up to 14 years, for example at the famous Lake Garda Meeting competition at Easter on Lake Garda, where up to 1000 children competed in some cases, and also at my first European Championship in Crotone, Italy.
You then had to switch to the 420 for reasons of age, did the internal family competition continue?
Of course, Resi and I sail on separate boats, each as helmswomen, not only against the competition, but also against each other. But we're always fair, we sometimes give up the right of way so as not to hinder each other.
Who is ahead in the family ranking?
I'm in second place in the 2019 German annual rankings for 420s and Resi is in fourth place. But my sister already has a few championship titles and sponsors that I don't have yet.
You surfed on fast slalom boards for years on the side. Why just for fun?
The focus was on regatta sailing. But as we live right on the water, I always got on the board very quickly when the wind picked up, as it takes much less effort to be ready to go. What's more, my second passion is the perfect fitness training and balancing sport for sailing.
Have you ever fancied the current RS:X? Have you even considered competing in the World Youth Championships?
That's right, my father got me some RS:X equipment and I trained on it last summer on Lake Garda. But then came the Olympic decision in favour of foiling.
You now also have a foil board in your boathouse. The Olympic iQFOiL board was also recently added. How was the transition to foiling in general? Did you have lessons with your dad or with your friend Dani Slijk?
At first I was allowed to use my father's tips on his normal foil board, and after an hour I was already doing quite well on Lake Wörth. When the iQFOiL board arrived at the beginning of May, I switched to the Olympic board with the help of Dani, which was a completely different matter with its huge dimensions - the width of 95 centimetres alone is impressive.
When Italy reopened for entry on 3 June, you went straight to Lake Garda with your boyfriend, parents and siblings.
We were able to get out on the water several times in April and May on Lake Wörth with good easterly winds, but Lake Wörth is not Lake Garda. My sisters also wanted to go sailing, and of course we wanted to test out the new iQFOiL in good conditions.
When such a large family wants to enjoy water sports, are there sometimes discussions about who is allowed to surf with what equipment?
Now and again, when several people want the same sail size. But in the end we always come to an agreement and then everyone has fun.
Lake Garda is not a bad training base. If Vento and Ora play along, you can expect an optimum wind yield and many training days there. As a beginner to foiling, it's a perfect choice of area, especially as your friend and training partner Daniel Slijk also lives there.
A few things come together at the lake that are ideal for getting into the Olympic iQFOiL. In addition to the opportunity to train with Dani, who has now also been given the Olympic board, the foil training group at Circolo Surf Torbole offers the chance to make further progress over the coming months.
The very first iQFOiL World Championships will be held there in Campione in October. Wouldn't that be the perfect opportunity to test your training progress in competition? The women will have their own start and the field will not be as large as for the men. Are you ready?
It's my first goal to be able to compete there. I'll be on the water every free minute. I'm really looking forward to it. I also wonder whether I can transfer a lot of my sailing experience to foiling.
If the start on Lake Garda doesn't work out due to a clash with a sailing regatta for the 49er FX, the European Championship on Lake Silvaplana in Switzerland in August would be an option. The conditions there with the thermal Maloja wind are similar to those on Lake Garda, but with significantly fewer waves. Would that be an alternative for the foil start?
Of course, it's not easy to find regattas and training dates for the two classes that don't overlap, but I'm very confident that a suitable combination will be found.
You've just graduated from high school. You then planned to take part in various sailing regattas, including the 49er FX Youth World Championship on Lake Como. Like many others, this was cancelled. What else is happening for you in sailing this year?
It looks like we will be competing in the 49er FX at the Kieler Woche, which has been postponed until the autumn, and at the German Championship on the Wannsee in Berlin. There might even be a Junior World Championship in December.
The German Sailing Association (DSV) was no longer active in the Olympic RS:X class following the retirement of Toni Wilhelm due to a lack of athletes. Now the DSV is really stepping on the gas and has even employed DWC coach Leon Delle as a full-time coach for the iQFOiL in order to build up a squad. What do you expect from this?
As I have now moved to Lake Garda and there are also very good training programmes here, I have not yet planned to go to Kiel for a longer period of time.
Sailing or surfing? Where does your heart lie? Or is both conceivable for you as a competitive sport in the next few years?
My heart beats for both sports. At the moment, my focus is on the 49er FX, but that shouldn't rule out my future on the iQFOiL, because you never know what's coming.
With the Abitur in your pocket, you usually aim to go to university. Do you have any concrete ideas?
I am very interested in architecture and design. But now I want to take a year to train for my two very time-consuming passions. In 2021, I'll be starting a degree programme, which should fit in with my sporting schedule.
INFO-BOX
- Age: 18 years
- Born: 6.3.2002
- Place of residence: Walchstadt am Wörthsee
- Profession: Pupil/Gymnasium
- Size/weight: 162 cm/55 kilos
- Sails/surfs since: 2007
- Sailing regatta debut: 2009
- Regatta debut surfing: To take place at the iQFOiL European Championships on Lake Silvaplana in August and/or at the iQFOiL World Championships on Lake Garda in October
- Sail number: GER-772 in sailing and surfing
- Successes: 2nd place 420er annual ranking 2019, 7th place 420er World Championship Vilamoura/Portugal 2019
- Favourite spot: Lake Garda
- Favourite discipline: surfing: Slalom/Foil
- Hobbies: Bouldering, painting, surfing
- Sponsors: So far only my parents, and occasionally my grandad too
